Bailer for boats



April 3, 1962 a. B. WHITEHEAD BAILER FOR BOATS Filed July 15, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 M A n M 6 I M M MN @n l I I Maw IN a. a n I R .LL /H H m. S G M,

April 1962 G. B. WHITEHEAD 3,027,861

BAILER FOR BOATS Filed July 13, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 44 i w 70R IN vew GEORGE B. W/l/TEl-IE40 MLSOMSETTLEMKMJCMIG United States Patent Ofiice 3,27,861 Patented Apr. 3, 1962 3,027,861 BAILER FOR BOATS George B. Whitehead, 7236 Medowlake Road, Birmingham, Mich. Filed July 13, 1960, Ser. No. 42,712 Claims. (Cl. 114--185) The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in boat bailers and particularly to manually operated bailing device which is simple in construction, positive in action and capable of being manufactured by modern mass production methods.

A primary object of the invention is the provision of a bailing device that is adapted to be easily mounted in the bottom of a boat. When the device is so installed, the forward movement of the boat creates a suction to withdraw any drainage which has collected therein.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a bailing device which is simple in design and readily operable as the need presents itself.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a corrosion resistant boat bailer which operates eliiciently when open and is water tight when closed.

These and other objects can be accomplished by the provision of a boat bailer having a flat mounting plate; a longitudinal opening of rectangular configuration in said flat mounting plate; a cover disposed on said mounting plate; an opening of similar configuration and shorter longitudinal dimension in said cover member; a retractable trough of generally U-shaped cross section with a fiat base and triangular shaped side walls; pivotal means intermediate the side walls and adjacent the intersection of the side wall and the base of said retractable trough; a tab on the base of said trough adjacent said pivotal means for limiting the pivotal displacement thereof; sealing means adapted to engage the sidewalls and tab on the base of said trough; and a flat cam pivotally secured to the sidewalls of said trough at the intersection of the edges thereon and in parallel relationship with the sidewall, rotation of said cam permitting the opening and closing of said trough.

Other objects of this invention will appear in the following description and appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 illustrates a plan view of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 illustrates an elevational view of the device shown in FIGURE 1, with the open position shown in phantom.

FIGURE 3 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along the plane 33 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a cross sectional view taken along the plane 44 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of a modified form of the present invention.

FIGURE 6 is a cross sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 7 is a bottom view of the device illustrated in FIGURE 1.

Before explaining the present invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

The present invention is positioned in the bottom of a boat for the purpose of removing any water, technically known as bilge water from the bottom of a moving boat. In operation, a forward speed of approximately one mile per hour or more provides the necessary suction for the removal of said bilge water.

Referring to the drawings, FIGURE 1 illustrates a plan view of the present invention. The complete assembly of the boat bailer 10 made up of four basic parts, the mounting plate 12, the cover member 32, the wedge shape pivotal member 52 and the L-shaped cam 82.

The mounting plate 12 is adapted to have positioned thereon the cover member 32 and the wedge shaped pivotal 52. The pivotal member 52 is of generally U- shaped cross section and has triangular shaped side walls 54 and 56 which extend upwardly at right angles from a generally flat base portion 43. The base portion 48 of the pivotal member 52 is of generally rectangular configuration and adapted to be received in a similar rectangular opening 24 located in the mounting plate 12. The exact relationship of the parts will be hereinafter described.

Each of the side wall members 54 and 56 are of substantially the same configuration. One edge 58 of each side wall member is generally straight, while the other edge 62 is of radial shape. The radial edges 62 of side wall members 54 and 56 intersect the flat base 48 adjacent the right hand ends thereof. At the intersection of radial edges 62 with the base 48, a flat tang 64 extends therefrom, while at the innersection of edges 58 with the flat base 48 a loop 68 is formed which is adapted to receive a pivot pin 74. Loop 68 is formed about the points from which the edge radius 62 originates.

Intermediate the innersection of the straight edges 58 and radial edges 62 of each of the side walls, an extension 63 of generally semi-circular configuration is provided. Each of the semi-circular extensions has an opening therein, the lower edges of said openings being positioned in substantially tangential relationship with an imaginary line extending in the plane of edges 58.

The base portion 48 of the wedge shaped pivotal member 52 is positioned in the rectangular opening 24, pro vided in the mounting plate 12. A pivot pin 74 is positioned in loop 68. The ends 76 and 78 of the pivot pin 74 tangentially engaging the top surface 14 of the mounting plate 12. A seal member 94 which is cut away to receive the pivotal member 52 is then positioned thereabout.

The seal member 94 is of generally rectangular configuration and of greater thickness than the diameter of pivot pin 74.

The cover member 32 is then positioned about seal member 94. The cover 32, as is the seal, is of rectangular configuration and has a rectangular opening therein. While the cover is shown having a plurality of downwardly turned edge flanges 34, 36, 38 and 42, it may of course be flat and accomplish the same result. However, the esthetic values to the original purchaser would be somewhat diminished, although the function would be the same. The cover member 32 is secured to the mounting plate with a plurality of screws 44 positioned in spaced relationship. The screws 44 extend through the seal and in this instance are threaded into mounting plate 12. The immediate area surrounding the threaded opening is dimpled (FIGURE 7) so as to permit the threaded ends of the screws 44 to be securely riveted in place after installation. However, rivets could be used for joining the several parts together. Additionally, a plurality of counter-sunk mounting holes 18 are provided in the bottom 16 of the mounting plate 12. These openings are provided to secure the total assembly to the bottom of a boat.

Referring to FIGURES 2 and 3 of the drawings, we

see a fiat cam 82 positioned on pivot pin 84, The cam member 82 is of generally L-shape and one is positioned against each of the outside flat surfaces of the sidewall members 54- and 56. A portion of the canrsurface 86 matches the radial edge 62 of the pivotal member 52 while in the closed position, while a second portion 88 thereof smoothly flows into substantially horizontal relationship to the cover member 32 and mounting plate 12. A spacer pin 92 is positioned intermeditae each of the flat earns 82. The circumferential edge of spacer pin 92' is adapted to lie in tangential relationship to the edges 58 on side Walls 54 and 56. The ends of pivot pin 84 and spacer pin 92 are riveted over so as to maintain the cam members 82 in position. As the cam 82 is rotated from the phantom position illustrated in FIGURE 2 to the solid line position the wedge shaped pivotal member is caused to be retracted. The top surface 65 of the tang 64, extending from the base 48, moves into sealing engagement with the underside 98 of the seal member 94. The side walls are also sealed by contact with the seal member 94.

In the modified form of the present invention illustrated in FIGURES and 6, a similar structure is shown. The major diiferencebeing in the configuration of the mounting flanges and cover member. In the modified version of the present invention, the same number of basic parts are required, mainly the mounting plate 112; the cover member 132, the wedge shaped pivotal member 152 and the L-shaped cam member 182. Both the mounting plate 112 and the cover member 132, are of round configuration, as opposed to the rectangular configuration illustrated in the preferred embodiment of the present invention. In the modified form of the present invention the cam is of one'integral part and has a pair of stop members adapted to engage the upper straight edge 158 of side Walls 154 and 156;

immediately above the'tang 165 on base 148, is the gasket member 194. The central portion 195 thereof is deformed downwardly by depressing thecover member 132 thereof downwardly at 197. Therefore when the cam.

132 is rotated to the closed position, a better seal is effected.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent to l. Ina boat bailer adapted to remove bilge water from a moving boat, the combination of, a fiat mounting plate; a longitudinal opening of rectangular configuration in said fiat mounting plate; a cover disposed on said mounting plate; an opening of similar configuration and shorter longitudinal dimension in said cover member; a retractable trough of generally U-shaped cross section with a flat base and triangular shaped side Walls; pivotal means intermediate the sidewalls and adjacent the intersection of the sidewall and the base of said rectractable trough; a tab on the base of said trough and spaced from said pivotal means for limiting the pivotal displacement thereof; sealing means adapted to engage the sidewalls and tab on the base of said trough; and a fiat cam pivotally secured to the sidewalls of said trough at the intersection of the edges thereon and in parallel relationship with the sidewall, rotation of said cam permitting the opening and closing of said trough.

2. In a boat bailer mounted in the bottom of a boat to remove bilge water, the combination of, a flat mounting plate; an opening of rectangular configuration centrally located in said mounting plate; a cover disposed on said mounting plate; an opening of rectangular configuration in said cover disposed in alignment with said first rectangular opening; a pivotal trough member in said opening; a seal between said mounting plate and cover to seal said pivotal trough member; a cam pivotally secured to said pivotal trough member to permit the opening and closing thereof; said trough in the open position adapted to remove bilge Water as a result of the suction created by the movement of the boat through water.

3. In a manually operated boat bailer adapted to remove bilge water from the bottom of a moving boat, the combination of, a flat mounting plate; an opening of rectangular configuration in said mounting plate; a retractable trough of generally U-shaped cross section having a flat rectangular bottom and triangular sidewalls pivotally disposed in said mounting plate opening; sealing means on said mounting plate; and flat cam means pivotally secured to the' triangular sidewall, rotation of which operates said trough;

4. In a boat bailer adapted to remove bilge water from a moving boat, the combination of, a generally flat mounting plate; an opening of'rectangular configuration in said mounting plate; a generally fiat cover disposed above said mounting plate; an opening of rectangular configuration in said cover member; a retractable trough of generally U-shaped cross section witha fiat bottom and triangular shaped side walls positioned in said rectangular openings; pivotal means on said retractable trough; sealing means intermediate said mounting plate and cover adapted to engage the sidewalls and bottom of said trough; and a flat cam pivotally secured and in parallel relationship with the triangular sidewalls, rotation of said cam in one direction permitting the opening of said retractable trough while rotation in the opposite direction closes said trough.

5. In a manually operated boat bailer flush mounted in the bottom of a boat, to remove bilge water therefrom, the combination of, a generally flat mounting plate; a longitudinal rectangular opening centrally located in said fiat mounting plate; a generally flat flanged cover disposed on said'mounting plate; a second opening of rectangular configuration and less dimension than said longitudinal opening in said mounting plate, located in said cover member; a retractable trough of generally U-shaped cross section with a fiat bottom and triangular shaped side walls; a pivot member on said retractable trough intermediate said mounting plate and cover; sealing means intermediate said cover and mounting plate. for sealing said trough; and a flat cam pivotally secured to the free ends of said sidewalls and in parallel relationship thereto, rotation of said cam operating said retractable trough.

References ited in the file of this patent UNITED STATESv PATENTS 2,095,696 Hackel Oct. 12, 1937 2,713,840 Stigall July 26, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 18,633 Great Britain of 1911 

